Security and suspicion can trump civil liberties when the U.S. feels threatened, and this touring exhibit from the International Spy Museum focuses on nine such occasions, from the British capture of Washington, D.C., and burning of the White House during the War of 1812 to post-9/11. A timeline traces more than 80 acts of terror, and artifacts relating to everything from law enforcement to evolving public opinion include an APL badge and ID card carried by operatives of the American Protective League who spied on their fellow citizens for the Justice Department during World War I, an exclusive video interview with ex-Weather Underground member Bernadine Dohrn and fragments of the planes that hit the World Trade Center. INFO|TICKETS

"Specimens: Unlocking the Secrets of Life"

Through Jan. 7; Field Museum

Break open the jars, bins, cabinets and drawers: From tiny minnows to meteorites, this enlightening exhibit presents a selection of the more than 30 million specimens and artifacts owned by the Field—of which only 1 percent are typically on display. Here, visitors will get a chance to discover the amazing size and range of the museum's collection. INFO|TICKETS

"Our House: Bringing Climate Change Home"

March 25-Sept. 4; Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

As Earth continues to heat up, and scientists study and debate the extent to which our planet is in peril, it's easy to feel powerless. How can any one person slow down the effects of climate change? That's the subject of this interactive exhibit at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, which brings the message home, showcasing creative solutions that reduce our environmental impact.

"En Mas: Carnival and Performance Art of the Caribbean"

May 1-Aug. 13; DuSable Museum

The Caribbean tradition of carnival—featuring lively music, the crowning of a calypso monarch and elements of masquerade (or "mas")—has had a distinctive influence on contemporary performance practices. The curators of this vibrant exhibit consider the many ways in which carnival, a spectacle of the streets, has ties to performance art happening onstage or in galleries. INFO|TICKETS

"Chasing Eclipses"

March 25-Jan. 7; Adler Planetarium

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, casting a shadow over our planet. Chicagoans will have the chance to see one in late summer (Aug. 21, to be exact). To ramp up excitement and help people better understand this celestial event, the Adler Planetarium opens a temporary exhibit. INFO|TICKETS

"Kings and Queens: Pinball, Imagists and Chicago"

Through May 7; Elmhurst Art Museum

Chicago was once the center of the pinball industry, and this exhibit juxtaposes 13 machines from the 1960s-80s—including those built by Elmhurst's Gottlieb family and vividly painted by Roy Parker and Gordon Morison—with 20-plus artworks they inspired. These are by Chicago Imagists and Hairy Who artists. Only one, Ed Paschke's "Blackout," was actually the model for a pinball machine, the 1980 namesake beauty with art by his former student Constantino Mitchell. It's among several machines you can play for free. INFO|TICKETS

"50/50 Invitational: The Subject is Chicago"

Through April 9; Chicago Cultural Center

For this, the Cultural Center's first invitational in several years, six respected artists and curators—Miguel Aguilar, Janice Bond, Jesse Lee Cochran, Tempestt Hazel, Nicole Marroquin and Tricia Van Eck—selected one artist from each of Chicago's 50 wards. The resulting show represents a range of media, from painting and drawing to photography and video, and offers a diverse set of perspectives on Chicago. INFO|TICKETS

The beautifully restored 14th-century "Alaya Altarpiece" and Bernat Martorell's 1434/35 "Saint George Killing the Dragon" join other stunning altarpieces, early paintings, luxury goods for the banquet hall and bedchamber, items of personal adornment, and the museum's arms and armor collection in the newly installed permanent exhibition of nearly 700 artworks and artifacts. They span four centuries (1200-1600) and many countries, but the goal is to illuminate the objects in the context of the spiritual, domestic and chivalric realms of the period. INFO|TICKETS